The UNP slapped "pro-black media gang" of the party including Sajith Premadasa, Harsha de Silva and Eran Wickremaratne in the face when it acknowledged the protest launched by civil organizations yesterday demanding ethical and non-partisan reporting of news.

Wickremaratne and De Silva came to the rescue of the "black media" yesterday when they issued public statements against the civil society protests dubbing them as an act of intimidation on the media.

Their remarks came as a response to protests by pro-democratic groups opposite all mainstream media institutions yesterday demanding fair and ethical coverage. The protest came against the backdrop where many media institutions in the country supported President Maithripala Sirisena's move to appoint former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister on October 26, triggering a 51-day political standoff.

It was Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who described the media institutions blatantly supporting the constitutional crisis as "back media". The Prime Minister's statement was endorsed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the party even called for parliamentary action against those who engineered and supported the "coup."

Issuing a statement this evening, the UNP stated that any citizen could engage in peaceful protests according to the law of the country. The party also added that the black media showed its true face again when it slandered and demonized protestors exercising their democratic rights.

The UNP also said it was ironic that the pro-democratic protestors were labelled as NGO-funded traitors while the rabble-rousers inciting hatred and violence are falsely portrayed as true patriots.